By Irreligiosophy
A podcast about the wisdom of irreligion, and all that entails.
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Eli from Chariots of Iron comes on the show to discuss life, the universe, and everything.
Since the E4F guys have continued the debate without our presence, we take the time to carefully and respectfully respond to the claims they have made behind our backs.
We finally get to Chuck's research on Judaism, focusing on the inter-Testamental period. We cover the period of Hasmonean independence, Roman presence, life as a client-state of Rome and then as a province under direct rule, the events leading up...
In this episode we discuss the frequently-heard Christian charge that Hitler was an atheist, and if not for Darwin we wouldn't have had Nazism or the Holocaust.
Tyler of More Than One Lesson comes on the show to discuss what assholes we were to make fun of his podcast last year. We talk about Christian filmmaking, Mormon filmmaking, and come up with a new term for Michael...
We discuss the perennial holiday classic about a reindeer born disfigured with a gigantic crimson proboscis, which apparently Leighton has never seen (I honestly don't know how he functions in society). In it, we find a shocking tale of discrimination...
Roger Nygard joins us in this episode to talk about his newly-released documentary, The Nature of Existence, where he traveled around the world quizzing people of all faiths (or faithlessnesses) about who we are, why we're here, and what to...
We enter the lion's den for this podcast, appearing on a live radio broadcast by two evangelical Christians from the East Coast. Topics in this lively debate include Mormonism, atheism, arguments for and against the existence of God, and why...
Leighton shares his research on the 613 rules that must be kept by all good Jews. Yahweh help us all.
We have guest Abby on to talk all about growing up Jewish, the different flavors of Judaism, her bat-mitzvah, and all things Judaic.
We spend this episode unearthing the truth about the 1987 events that spawned a novel, a TV show, and a major motion picture. Turns out, the real events were dumber than the movie, if such a thing is possible.
Here it is, the long-sought-after, long-withheld episode on Proposition 8. We cover a brief history of the relevant marriage law in California, changes to that law, judgments overturning those changes, voter initiatives overturning the judgments, and now another judgment overturning...
In preparation for the official Prop 8 podcast next week, we briefly discuss the LDS church's political history. We spend the first half-hour highlighting a few episodes of early LDS clashes with their neighbors and eventually the federal government, culminating...
Emma saves our bacon this week by providing us with this interview in honor of F You Hosts Day.
This week we discuss Fred Phelps of "God Hates Fags" Westboro Baptist Church fame with estranged son Nathan Phelps. We cover early years, the details of Nathan's leaving the church, and what happened later, as well as details of WBC...
Wherein we explain the roots of the bizarre Mormon practice of baptizing dead people by proxy, featuring a brief guest segment with Jessica, an actual person who got suckered into doing it.
The second part of our interview hits a more personal note. Find out what it was like in the field, how missionaries were treated by the Church they served, the culture shock, and the exit interview experience.
The first part of our interview with ex-Mormon brothers Chris and Mike about their missionary experiences. We start with early church indoctrination and continue through patriarchal blessings, priesthood ordinations, sending the papers in, getting the call, MTC training, and early...
The second part of our religious podcast takedown means it's Leighton's turn to dissect some terrible Christian podcasts. Also, some Skunk Dicks and another oddball episode in the ongoing Allred saga.
In this first of a two-parter, we encounter some residents of iTunes' Top Ten Religious Podcasts, Joyce Meyer and Mark Driscoll. Driscoll we met in our previous episode about the Podcast Awards, and he doesn't appear to have gotten any...
Guest philosopher Seth discusses his concerns over the loose moral language of the New Atheists.
After discussing one last heresy, Chuck hands the podcast reins with fear and trembling to Leighton, who presents his research into the many problems that result in unifying church and state.
In this episode we cover the docetic and adoptionist viewpoints, which were later deemed heresies by the One True Church, and the changes in the texts of the New Testament that resulted from the attempt to win these arguments by...
Wherein we discover where the New Testament authors got all those authentic details about Christ's life and death.
In this episode we talk to Britta, a straight-shooting former Mormon woman from Texas who tells it like it is.
Wherein we spend an hour shooting the breeze with PZ Myers, outspoken New Atheist and Almighty Lord of Science Blogging, about Fr*ming, his appearance on Expelled, the Frackin' Cracker Incident, and all other kinds of godless fun.
Wherein we discuss one of the strangest cults we've never heard of.
In this episode we engage Palmer, an atheist who pretended to be Mormon so we'd let him on the show.
Emma joins us with tales of horra, all about growing up Catholic in Australia.
We have captured an actual real-life Hindu and forced him to divulge all the secrets of the crazy religion. The majority of the show is devoted to correcting all of Leighton's mistakes from the previous Hindu podcast.
Travel back to early Christianity, where sex was bad even within the bonds of matrimony, and nobody liked the Jews. Come to think of it, not much has changed.
We discuss Hinduism. Frankly, we don't know what the hell is going on with it either.
In this episode we discuss the history of comics and the events leading up to their self-imposed Comics Code in 1955, and in which we are not in the least surprised to discover that all this mess was started by...
So having dispensed with the historical backdrop of Muhammad and 7th century Arabia, we finish our discussion with the Quran, crazy Islamic beliefs, and women in Islam.
This week we tackle Allah, Muhammad, and Islam in general. In part one, we discuss the historical backdrop of Muhammad and 7th century Mecca, as well as the "Five Pillars of Islam."
So, what are these Dead Sea Scrolls, how were they discovered, and who wrote them? A brief look into selected scrolls such as the Community Rule, the Halakhic Letter, the Damascus Document, and the War Scroll sheds light on this...
This week we discuss an ethical system built on two simple questions as developed by Dominick Cancilla, author of the book, "Ask Yourself to be Moral." Great for a quick, easily understood rejoinder to anyone who says that morals and...
We just can't leave this crazy old guy alone. In this episode, we cover "Oops," "Fairy Tale," and "Last Generation." Fun times!
Don't have a Mormon Temple Recommend? Want to know what goes on without getting baptized, attending church every Sunday for a year, and paying 10% of your income? This episode is for you!
Sean continues his assault upon reason and logic, throws up a whole lot of arguments to see which ones stick, and upbraids us for not being nice to willfully stupid people.
Leighton's brother Sean has found our site, and he does not like what he sees. He proceeds to castigate us for our lack of respect for other people's sincere but admittedly idiotic beliefs.
In this episode we decipher all those crazy acronyms and optimistic euphemisms of that transparent scam masquerading as a religion called Scientology. We talk about its history, beliefs, controversies, and gadgets, and even give details about our own visit to...
Herein we show why the various philosophical arguments for the existence of God fall apart under close inspection. We also evaluate one really crappy attempt by Mormon Apostle Boyd K. Packer.
In the LDS religion, each young member at age 14 is supposed to get a "patriarchal blessing," which lays out their future life (if they live according to God's will). We discuss the accuracy of Leighton's patriarchal blessing and compare...
In a special 50th podcast episode we take on Mims Carter, the man who gave us our lowest iTunes review ever! Who will come out on top? You'll have to listen to find out.
Now the rest of the story: how when Christians gained power in the Roman Empire, they immediately turned the other cheek and meekly tolerated the existence of pagans and allowed them to practice their religion freely everywhere and for all...
We discuss the facts surrounding Christian persecutions in the first three centuries after Christ: how and why the Christians were persecuted in a society usually tolerant of different forms of worship, the extent of Imperial involvement, and how Christians reacted...
Wherein we examine creation evangelist, dinosaur guy, and tax evader Kent Hovind's 1991 doctoral dissertation, which is filled with an impressive amount of buffoonery, even for Kent Hovind.
Anthropology Professor Ewa Wasilevska returns to discuss some interesting facets of several courses she teaches, including the anthropology of humor and laughter, ancient Egypt's history, and the death rituals of various cultures around the world.
In this episode we cover all the contradictions, misconceptions, and outright nonsense that makes up the nativity story we are subjected to every freaking Christmas.